Blogging (almost) every day while juggling the demands of volunteer work, keeping the freelance life afloat, and having time for non-work activities started to wear on me last week. For the first time in what felt like too long a time, I “tuned in” to one of my favorite online gathering places today to discover the topic was a perfect fit for my work attitude. Drew Marshall stepped up to the challenge of framing a topic for us to discuss when inspiration failed him.

Jumping into a chat on Twitter can be a little bit like being in a hive mind. Many Twitter chats exist to allow people from all over the world to connect with others who share a common hobby, educational, or business interest. These online discussions can sometimes simply amplify an existing media echo chamber. Good ones, though, serve to elevate a conversation beyond merely the dissemination of information.

Some understanding can only be developed by crossing boundaries or shifting context. For example, imagine studying a foreign language. You come across a word that doesn’t have a direct translation. What process do you go through to figure out what it means?